Pocket-knife



(No Model.) I

C. R EVERTZ.

l POCKET KNIFE. No. 595,909. -Patented DecQZl, 1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT FETCE.

ARL ROBERT EvERTZ, OE BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, AssIeNoR on ONE-HALE TO DAVIDEAsTMAN, OE PLATNEIELD, NEw JERSEY.

POCKET-KNIFE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,909, dated December21, 1897.

Application filed February 25 1897. Serial No. 624,924. (No model.)

Pocket-knives have heretofore been constructed in which the blades havebeen locked closed and Others in which they have been locked open, andvarious devices have been employed for operating these looks.

The principal object of this invention is to construct a pocket-knife inwhich the unlocking or releasing device will be so formed and locatedthat there will be no possible danger of its operating accidentallywhile the knife is in the pocket and yet will bealways readily operatedwhen desired.

Another object is to construct a pocketknife in-which any or all of theblades may be locked either closed or open and be capable of beingunlocked by the manipulation of one of the parts of the handle.

Another object is to so construct the locking and releasing devices thatthe knife shall present an attractive appearance and closely resemble anordinary knife of its class.

With these objects in view the invention consists in the construction,formation, and combination of parts, as hereinafter fully described, andset forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,Figure l represents in side elevation and back view a knife embodyingthe invention. Fig. 2 represents the knife in side elevation with oneside of the handle removed. Fig. 3 represents the parts of the handlein. detail. Fig. 4 is a view on an enlarged scale, showing the operationof the locking and releasing mechanism and also a transverse sectionthrough the handle. Fig. 5 represents a modied form of blade.

Although this invention applies to all forms of knives having pivotedblades for concealment within a handle or haft, it is herein illustratedand described with special reference to a pocket-knife.

. In the drawings, A refers to the lining of the handle; B, to the scaleupon one side of the handle; C, to the scaleupon the other side; D, tothe back-spring; E, to one of the blades, and F to the other.

For convenience in illustration a twobladed knife is represented, thoughthe invention is applicable to a knife having any number of blades. Theback-spring is of special formation, it being provided at its ends withcatches, as 6, projecting upwardly between the sides of the lining andwith lateral projections 7 projecting across `the handle back of thelining and scales. This spring may be secured in place between the sidesof the handle in any suitable way, but the most convenient form is thatillustrated, wherein said spring is provided at or near its middle withlateral projections 8, which are located in recesses, as 9, formed inthe back edge of the lining. The tangs of the blades are notched orprovided with projections, as shown, for engagement with the catches 6for the purpose of locking the blade in fixed position. Vith the notchesor projections located as in Figs. 2 and i a blade may be locked both inits open and its closed position. Should it be desired to lock the bladesimply in its closed position, then the notch or projection wouldbeformed on the front edge of the tang only, as illustrated in Fig. 5.Should it be desired to lock the blade only in its open position, thenotch or projecjection for engagement with the catch would obviously belocated on the back edge of the tang.

To disengage the catch 6 on the back-spring from the notch or projectionon the tang, any suitable device may be employed which will press theback-spring outwardly. It is preferred, however, to operate theback-spring in the release of its catch by means of a lever pivoted uponthe side of the handle. This lever may form a portion of the handle, andthis invention includes especially the adaptation of one of the scalesto the operation of releasing the lock form ed by the engagement of thecatch on the back-sprin g with the notch .or projection in the tang ofthe blade. This IOO ` of the blade.

construction is the one fully illustrated herein. The scale C for thispurpose is pivoted7 as indicated in Figs. l and 4, to the lining of thehandle and rests at its ends upon the projections 7 of the back-spring.The pivot l5 for this scale may be located in any suitable portionthereof, but by preference is located through the shield l0, which willserve to strengthen the scale at its pivotal point and also to indicatewhich scale is the one to be operated as the releasing device for thelocking mechanism.

It is preferable also to provide some means for throwing the blades outwhen they are released. For this purpose a spring, as G, is

located within the handle against the backspring and is preferablysecured in place by means of projections ll, which are located in therecesses 9, which, as above stated, also receive the projections 8 ofthe back-spring. This spring G has an upward bias at its ends, and theseends rest, preferably, under the tang near its junction with the cuttingedge XVhen this spring is used, no thumb-nail mark on the blades isnecessary.

To open the knife, the scale O is tilted, as indicated in Fig. 4,thereby pressing out the end of spring D and releasing the catch 6 fromengagement with the tang of blade F. The spring G then operates to throwthe blade F out. 'The blade may then be pressed back into position shownin Fig. 2, when the catch 6 will lock it in that position. To return theblade into the handle, the scale is pressed in the same direction asbefore, thereby releasing the catch from the tang, when the blade may beshut and locked in that position by the engagement of the catch 6 withthe projection on the tang, as indicated in Fig.2, at the blade E. Toopen the blade E and close it, the scale must be moved in the directionreverse to that just described.

It will be noted, as illustrated in Fig. 3, that the recess 9 is formedby simply making a hole through the lining, so that the scale coverssaid opening and forms the back wall of the recess.

It will also be noted that the pivots for the blades (indicated at 12 inFig. 4) do not pass through the movable scale O, which scale, however,is, for the sake of deception, provided with pins at 13 coincident withthe rivets.

With a knife constructed as j ust described it is impossible for theblades to be accidentally opened while the knife is in the pocket, andit is also impossible for the blades to close up and cut the fingerswhile the knife 1s 1n use.

Other changes in the form and construction of the parts of the knifeaside from those above suggested may be made without departing from theinvent-ion. One of these may consist of the omission of the catch 6 whenthe blade shown in Fig. 5 is used, the projection in that case takingover the end of the back-spring.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is l. In a knife having two or morepivoted blades, the combinationwith locking devices for holding theblades in fixed positions, of a single releasing device for operatingany and all of the locking devices.

2. In a pocket-knife, the combination with the lining and a pivotedblade or blades, of the back-sprin g adapted to lock said blade orblades in fixed position, and one of the scales of the handle pivoted tothe lining and adapted to engage the back-spring and unlock the blade orblades.

3. In a pocket-knife, the combination with the lining and a pivotedblade or blades, of the back-spring adapted to lock said blade or bladesin fixed position, one of the scales of the handle pivoted to the liningand adapted to engage the back-spring and unlock the blade or blades,anda spring or springs mounted within the handle and engaging with the blades at their tan gs to throw them open when released.

4. In a pocket-knife, the combination with the lining and a pivotedblade or blades provided with locking notches or projections, of aback-sprin g secured to the lining and provided with lateralprojections, and with means for engaging the notches or projections onthe blade or blades, and one of the scales pivoted to the lining so thatwhen tilted it will engage the projections on the back-springv and throwit out of en gagelnent with the blade or blades.

5. In a pocket-knife, the combination with the handle having a fixedlining, of blades pivoted in either end of the handle and pro-4 vided attheir` tangs with notches for locking the blades in fixed positions, aback-spring provided with lugs for engaging said notches and withlateral projections at each end, and one of the scales centrally pivotedto be tilted into engagement with theA said projections at either end ofthe back-spring, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a pocket-knife, the combination of the linings provided withrecesses at the back edges, the back-spring having projections littinginto said recesses and provided at its ends with catches and lateralprojections, blades whose tan gs are provided with notches orprojections to engage said catches, a scale pivoted to the lining andresting at its ends against the lateral projections upon the backspring,and a spring located within the handle and having projections resting inthe said recesses of the handle and having its ends located under thetangs of the blades, substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 5th day of February, A. D. 1897.

CARL ROBERT EVERTZ.

Witnesses WVM. H. CAPEL, l DELBERT H. DECKER.

ICO

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